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Women of Beef

Susan McSween Barber: From Lincoln County War Widow to Cattle Queen

Widowed in the Lincoln County War, McSween started with 40 head from John Chisum and built the Three Rivers ranch into one of the larger herds in the territory.

Who Was Susan McSween Barber?

Susan McSween Barber was born Susan Hummer on December 30, 1845, in Adams County, Pennsylvania. She died January 3, 1931, in White Oaks, New Mexico, at age 85, and is buried in Cedarvale Cemetery. She is best known for what she did after the Lincoln County War, when she became a cattle owner. She was about 32 when her husband was killed, and her later ranch life has to be read against that loss.

Writers gave her the title Cattle Queen of New Mexico. Her Wikipedia biography and the Hereford Association's feature on women in the Hereford breed are good starting points.

Marriage and the Lincoln County War

She married Alexander McSween on August 23, 1873, in Atchison, Kansas. The couple moved to Lincoln, New Mexico, in 1875. John Tunstall was killed on February 18, 1878, an event that sparked the conflict known as the Lincoln County War.

Her husband was killed at the end of the Battle of Lincoln, where she was present, even though he was unarmed and trying to surrender. She then hired attorney Huston Chapman to pursue charges. Colonel Nathan Dudley was tried and acquitted, and James Dolan was acquitted in Tunstall's murder. Jesse Evans killed Chapman and fled the territory.

How Did She Start in Cattle?

John Chisum gave her 40 head of cattle, worth about $400, to start her in the cattle business. She acquired 1,158 acres on the west side of the Mescalero Apache Reservation. She also mined a small silver vein and planted orchards with trees from Chisum.

She married George Barber in 1880, and they later divorced.

How Big Was the Three Rivers Herd?

By 1890 she ran at least 5,000 head under the Three Rivers Cattle Company brand, and some estimates put her herd at 8,000. Those figures come from secondary summaries rather than ranch ledgers, so treat them as reported numbers.

In 1902 she sold her ranch, except the house, to Monroe Harper and moved to White Oaks, then a declining boomtown.

The Key to Her Success

McSween's record shows a woman who turned a legal fight and a small gift of cattle into a working ranch. Before she turned to ranching she pursued justice in court by hiring Huston Chapman. She did not rely on one source of income, and she used friendships and neighbors, notably Chisum, to get started.

The costs are part of the story. She lost her husband in the violence of the war, and the ranch came out of years of legal struggle.

  • Accept a start from a neighbor. Chisum's 40 head and orchard trees gave her a foundation.
  • Take land at a workable size. She began with 1,158 acres by the reservation.
  • Diversify. She mined a small silver vein and planted orchards.
  • Brand the operation. The Three Rivers Cattle Company brand carried her herd to at least 5,000 head by 1890.
  • Know when to sell. She sold the ranch in 1902 and kept the house.

Later Life

After selling the ranch she moved to White Oaks. She sold her jewelry to support herself and was later supported by her nephew, Edgar Shields.

She died there in 1931. A marker on the Historical Marker Project site is titled Susan McSween Barber, Cattle Queen of New Mexico, 1845-1931, and is listed as a historical marker entry.

Legacy and Popular Culture

Lynda Day George played her in Chisum (1970), Sharon Thomas in Young Guns (1988) and Lisa Chandler in Billy the Kid (2022). Her story also appears in book form, including In the Shadow of Billy the Kid. Screen versions tend to fix her in memory as a war widow, while the ranch record shows a woman who spent roughly the next two decades building and running cattle at Three Rivers before selling in 1902.

For more women in ranching see the ranching section on farm.FM or read a story about women ranchers in the Southwest.

Timeline

  1. 1845Born December 30 in Adams County, Pennsylvania
  2. 1873Marries Alexander McSween in Atchison, Kansas
  3. 1875Moves to Lincoln, New Mexico
  4. 1878Alexander McSween is killed at the end of the Battle of Lincoln
  5. 1880Marries George Barber
  6. 1890Runs at least 5,000 head under the Three Rivers brand
  7. 1902Sells the ranch, except the house, to Monroe Harper
  8. 1931Dies January 3 in White Oaks

Frequently asked questions

Who was Susan McSween Barber?

Susan McSween Barber (1845-1931) was the widow of Lincoln County War figure Alexander McSween who later built the Three Rivers cattle ranch and was called the Cattle Queen of New Mexico.

How many cattle did she own?

By 1890 she ran at least 5,000 head under the Three Rivers Cattle Company brand, and some estimates put the herd at 8,000. These are reported figures.

How did Susan McSween start in cattle?

John Chisum gave her 40 head of cattle, worth about $400. She acquired 1,158 acres near the Mescalero Apache Reservation and built the herd from there.

Sources and further reading

Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.

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